Iolo System Mechanic 14 review

Can this PC clean-up software save your computer?

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The System Mechanic 'all clear' alert
The System Mechanic 'all clear' alert

TechRadar Verdict

Thanks to LiveBoost and a host of new features, System Mechanic 14 will noticeably improve your PC's performance.

Pros

  • +

    Noticeable performance boost

  • +

    Plenty of features

  • +

    Clear diagnoses

Cons

  • -

    Takes longer than advertised

  • -

    Bland design

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Los Angeles-based Iolo has been a market leader in the PC tune up utility software category for years, thanks to its best-selling System Mechanic software. This app has traditionally offered sluggish PCs a new lease on life – but does the new System Mechanic 14 live up to the standard set by its predecessors? And is it worth the upgrade from System Mechanic 12.5? I took Iolo's new beta software for a test drive to see what improvements you can expect.

Overview

With the proliferation of both personal and corporate devices, there are a lot of PCs out there performing a wide range of increasingly complicated tasks. Naturally, sluggish and overburdened computers are the result. A slow, glitchy personal device is bad enough, but enterprise-wide, it can lead to a loss of revenue and less efficient workers.

Individual consumers and businesses have a lot of options when it comes to optimizing their PCs. According to market research by NPD Group, Iolo's System Mechanic enjoys almost two thirds (66%) of the market share for software utility products – and it has long been among the best-selling software in its category in the US.

In addition to System Mechanic, however, consumers have the option of utilizing competing solutions including the popular (and free) SlimCleaner as well as the cloud-based SlimCleaner Plus, which retails for $29.95 (about £17.55, AU$31.91) – a considerably lower price point compared to System Mechanic's price tag of $49.95 (around £29.25, AU$53.22).

System Mechanic's new version includes a lot of interesting and fresh technology that may help to even the playing field a bit – even the most budget-conscious consumer may well decide System Mechanic 14 is worth the splurge.

System Mechanic 14

System requirements

System Mechanic 14 is compatible with devices running Windows 8.1, as well as Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, and XP. The under-$50 price tag is consistent with the previous version, though the product is often offered for a sale price of $39.95 on the company's website.

System Mechanic 14 also continues to offer Iolo's popular "whole home license," which allows installation across an unlimited number of a user's home PCs – a handy feature in an age when consumers are accustomed to restrictions on the number of devices they're able to install an app on per subscription.

Jennifer McCartney